August 10, 2007

NZ Gov't Leaker: Naming Your Kid Superman, Satan, Same Thing

So the New Zealand government naming registrar has rejected the appeal parents who wanted to name their kid 4Real, saying you can't start a name with a number. [The family's not entirely crazy argument: what's the big deal? People are named John Williams III all the time.]

So they're naming him Superman instead, but calling him 4Real. [Is it pronounced 'The Number Four Real'? Why not just call him Forreal and spell it any damn way you want?]

Anyway, the phone book can handle names that start with numbers. I think the cranky fussbudgets in the registrar's office were just embarrassed that their database can't handle a digit. And so in retaliation, they let slip the following info to the BBC:

Officials in New Zealand have been involved in similar disputes before.

In the past they have had to intervene to stop parents naming their offspring Satan and Adolf Hitler.

2 Comments

It's the same in Germany. There are certain names you cannot give to your children. The registrar will not approve it. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6939112.stm and http://www.yeahbaby.com/article.php?page=118

Oh, what's the bid deal, in countries like Portugal is even more stupid, you can't name your son a foreign name, like a John or Mary. Only if one of the parents (or both) aren't portuguese and you have to prove the name you want exists in the foreign country. On the other hand you can name your daughtor Dores (which means Pains) LOL.

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